Panel mounted electrical strip connection



March 10, 1953 F- S. SAMPSON PANEL MOUNTED ELECTRICAL STRIP CQNNECTIONFiled Feb. 16, 1948 m m m m FREDER/C/ S 5A MP$0N, BY 37am; ATTORNEY-Patented Mar. 10, 1953 PANEL MOUNTED ELECTRICAL STRIP CONNECTIONFrederick S. Sampson, Saugus, Mass, assignor to United-Carr FastenerCorporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of -MassachusettsApplication February 16, 1948, Serial No. 8,572

4 Claims.

like strip conductors are conveniently formed of a spring brass stripsapproximately one quarter 4) inch wide and approximately 0.010 inch inthickness. A plurality of such strips are com veniently secured betweeninsulating panels providing a simple inexpensive construction which willnot be subject to wear and short-circuiting as in the case of othersystems employing individually insulated-conductors.

One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of animproved solderless connector for bare ribbon conductors of the typeabove described.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improvedconnector for two ribbon conductors in which one conductor is aperturedto receive a spring contact fastener connector on the cooperatingconductor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improvedconnector for electrical receptacles, such as prong-type sockets, bymeans of which the receptacle may be readily electrically connected to acooperating conductor strip.

The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent to personsskilled in the art to which the invention relates from a considerationof the accompanying drawings and annexed speciflcation illustratin anddescribin a preferred construction.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view partly broken away of a portion of a typical panelinstallation in which the invention may be used;

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged transverse sectional view as taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1, and illustrating a typical application of areceptacle embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a typical form of conductorconnection in which the connector of the invention may be used;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,and illustrating a preferred form of connector embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view as taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3and. illustrating the connector'as viewed atright angles from theposition shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a combined receptacle and"connector embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawings atypical installation comprises a plurality ofbare ribbon-like strips It suitably secured to a panel 5 of insulatingmaterial. If desired, the conductor strip may be confined. between thepanel 5 and asuperimposed panel 6.

One feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improvedso'lderles's-connector between a plurality of conductor strips ll.)disposed either in. alignment or in angular relation.

According to a preferred form of solderless connector, one of theconductor strips Ill may be apertured as at l l and providedwith-anangularly turned. edge or extrusion l2,-'-said extruded openingadapted to receive -'a contact member 15 formed integral with a secondconductor til The contact member I5 of the conductor fil is providedpreferably by forming a segmental tongue It on the end of the conductordisposed substantially at right angles to and connected to the strip Itby a reduced neck portion I1. The marginal side edges of the tongue i=6diverge outwardly from the neck 5 providing shoulders l8, and then tapertoward .the turned end of the tongue to provide an enteringend l 9. Thechordal dimension between the shoulders 18 is preferably slightlygreater than the diameter of the opening l I, so that the shoulderportions 18 will engage the walls orextruded edges it under tension andprovide an effective electrical connection therewith.

The connector advantageously may be associated with a prong-receivingcontact as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, for use in installationsadapted to receive a pronged electrical device, for example a thermionictube (not shown) and adapted to be positioned in one of alignedapertures 5 and 5 of the insulating panels 5 and 6, respectively.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6, the connector may be formed from anelongated strip 2! of material, for example sheet metal, provided with atongue [5 at one end and a prong-engaging socket 20 at the opposite end.The socket 20 may be formed by providing a U-shaped portion, the legs 22of which are angularly disposed with reference to the strip 2| and thebight portion of which forms the base or bottom 23 of the socket. Eachof the legs 22 provides a laterally extending element in the form of anembossment 28 for engagement behind the panel 6. The legs 22 arepreferably formed with lateral Wings 24 to provide an encompassing wallto provide a substantially continuous peripheral contact with a prong(not shown), and the leg 22, remote from the strip 2! is preferablyoutturned as at 25 to provide a support-engaging lip for positioning thesocket in the aperture 5 of the supporting panel 3.

It will be understood that when the panels 5 and 6 are assembled withthe conductors H), as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the aperture 5 ofthe superposed or cover panel 5 will be in alignment with the aperture 5of the supporting panel 6, so that a prong of suitable electricalappliance inserted through the aperture 5 will engage and makeelectrical contact with the socket member 20 positioned in the aperture5 of the panel 6.

It will be further understood that the strip conductors I and I0 will beprefabricated prior to assembly with the supporting panel 9 as by beingapertured as at I! at desired locations or being provided with aterminal end connector tongue or both. The conductor H3 or the connector20 may be readily electrically connected to the conductor strips bysimply snapping the tongue I 5 in the aperture l of the other strip.Inasmuch as the chordal dimension of the tongue 15 exceeds the diameterof the aperture H, the outer surface of the tongue will engage theextruded wall l2 of the aperture under tension and make an efficientelectrical connection therewith,

Although I have illustrated two forms of connector in which theinvention may be embodied, I do not intend to be restricted thereto asthe scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electrical installation comprising superposed panels of insulatingmaterial, one of which is provided with a prong-receiving aperture andthe other with an aligned socket contact receiving aperture, a pluralityof one-piece, bare strip conductors sandwiched between said panels, oneof said conductors having an opening therein, another of said conductorshaving an angularly disposed prong-receivin contact positioned in thesocket contact-receiving panel aperture, an end of said second namedconductor overlying the first named conductor and having an integralresilient angularly disposed connector tongue engaged in the opening inthe first named conductor and in tensional engagement with the marginaledge thereof and serving to provide a substantial surface contactbetween said strips.

2. An electrical connector for connection with an apertured conductorhaving a bare contacting surface surrounding said aperture comprising aone-piece strip having a conductor-contacting surface adjacent oneendfor surface bearing contact with the conductor, and an angularlydisposed transversely arcuate and resilient tongue depending from an endof said strip adjacent said conductor-contacting surface, said tonguetapering toward its terminal free end and having its maximum chordaldimension greater than the diameter of the conductor aperture to betransversely compressible upon insertion in the aperture of theconductor for maintaining the sur faced end portion of the connector insubstantial surfaced electrical contact with the conductor, and aU-shaped prong-receiving socket formed in said connector strip in spacedrelation to said tongue.

3. An electrical connection comprising a ribbon-like conductor stripprovided with a substantially circular aperture and having a barecontacting surface surrounding said aperture, a second conductor havinga conducting surface adjacent one end and an integral angularlyextending transversely arcuate resilient segmental tongue adjacent saidcontacting surface and extending into the aperture of the first namedconductor, the normal maximum chordal dimension of said tongue beinggreater than the diameter of the aperture of the first named conductorand said tongue being tapered toward its terminal end to be compressedupon insertion in the conductor aperture thereby maintaining thesurfaced portions of said conductors in electrical contact.

4. An electrical connector as defined in claim 3 wherein the angularlyextendin tongue is con nected to the conducting surfaced end of thesec-- ond named conductor strip by a reduced neck portion.

FREDERICK S. SAMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 993,099 Palmer May 23, 19111,651,660 Alden Dec. 6, 1927 1,672,915 Schwarzenhauer June 12, 19281,691,472 Graham Nov. 13, 1928 1,756,332 Becker Apr. 29, 1930 1,912,653Olson June 6, 1933 2,023,190 Alden Dec. 3, 1935 2,225,801 Schnoll Dec.24, 1940 2,228,138 Larkin Jan. 7, 1941 2,312,181 Matthews Feb. 23, 19432,421,045 Walsh May 27, 1947 2,492,235 Mitchell Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 433,046 Great Britain Aug. 7, 1935

